SHINE IN OUR WORKS. 471 your bodies, would have you, therein, taste his love to your souls, would use you just so for your brethren's good. Do you gOve them good words and 'counsel? It is well. But that is not it thatthey can yet taste and value. You must do that sort of good for them which they can know and relish ; not that this will save them, or is any great matter of itself, no 'more than God's com- mon bodily mercies to you ; but this is the best way to get down better. And he that seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up the bowels of his compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him ? 1 John iii. 17: " Give to him that asketh, and from him that would borrow of thee turn .not thou away ; " Matt. v. 42. That is, let not want of charityhinder thee, at any time, from giv- ing, though want of ability may hinder thee, and prudence may.re- strain thee, and must guide thee. If you say, Alas ! we have it not to give. I answer, 1. Do what you can. 2. Show by your com- passion, that you would, if you could, take care,of yourpoor breth- ren. 3. Beg of others for them; and put on those that can to do it. Say not, These carnal people value nothing but 'carnal things, and cannot perceive a man's love by spiritual benefits; for it is not grace, but the means and outside of things spiritual that you 'can give them; and, for aught I see, the most of us all do very hardly believe God's own love to'us,'if he deny us bodily mercies. If you languish in poverty, crosses, and painful sickness any long, your murmuring showeth that you do not sufficiently taste God's goodness without the help of bodily sense. And can you expect that natural men believe you-to be good foryodr barewords, whets you so hardly think well of God himself, though he promise you life eternal, unless he also give you bodily supplies? VIII. He that will glorify his religion, and God, before men, must be strictly just in all his dealings ; just in governing, just in trading and bargaining,just to superiors and to inferiors, to friends and to enemies, just in performing all his promises, and in givingevery man his right. He that, in love, must part with his own right for his neighbor's greater good, must not deprive another of his right; for charity includeth' justice, as'a lower virtue is included in a high- er andmore perfect. He must not be unjust for himself, for riches, or any worldly ends.; he must not be unjust for friends or kin- dred ; he must not be drawn to it by fear or flattery ; no price must hire them to ddan unrighteous deed. But, above all, he must never be unjust as for religion, as if God either needed or countenanced a lie, or any iniquity. No menare more scandalous dishonorers of religion, and of God, than they that think it lawful to deceive, or lie, or be perjured, or break covenants, or be rebel- lious, or use any sinful means to secure or promote religion, as if God were not able to accomplish his ends by righteous means.
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